3 Reasons ROC-A-FELLA Records HAD TO Break Up! Stunted Growth Music 

To me it was inevitable the Roc would break up. But if they didn't where would they be today as a team and the individual members? Personally I can't even picture a dude like Dame in the circles Jay be in. In a god way though. Dame too real. Don't get enough credit.

💎The Roc owes a lot of their success to Just Blaze. Dude was making beats and engineering entire albums consistently and making tracks for EA Sports🔥💯‼️

Memphis Bleek always played his part, stayed in his lane and understood where he fit. Loyal to the end.

The original Roc will go down in Hip-Hop history as one of the best record labels back when labels meant alot in the business.

As a kid I was so naïve to think that shit would last forever🤦🏾‍♂️🥴

They can blame Jay all they want but 93% of them messed up their careers and blew through budgets, and advances and never expected to do anything more than bullshit and party

What you said about “changing clothes” is so real. I’ve tried to help family members and give them some corporate game, but they want to “keep it real” and think that mindset is going to get them some where. When they end up exactly where they started, they want to look at you as if it’s your fault. FOH!!

🎶Dame made millions, Ye made millions, Just made millions, Biggs made millions, Cam made millions, Beans will tell you if he wasn't in his feelings.🎶

_”I’m not a businessman, I’m a BUSINESS, MAN!”_ *-Jay Hova*

Dame was a "car salesman" not a "Fortune 500 CEO". He was very flashy and persuasive and Jay needed that to get the industry to buy into him. That was the whole reason Roc-A-Fella even existed. Once they achieved that goal, it was OVER! Everyone made their money, scored the victory and it was time to separate.

Next to the Chicago Bulls dynasty, Roc-a-fella records breaking up was hard for me to endure.

How long was Jay Z was supposed to keep carrying them? How long was Jay Z required to hold dead weight? They all cofounded a company and made millions. Maybe they cleaned up some drug money. I think a decade together was enough time. Jay Z wasn't required to let them eat off his talent til he died

Been watching your videos for a few months, and in my opinion this is one of your best stunted growth video so far 🙏🏽🔥💪🏽

Jay said it himself "you can bullshit with rap if you want". The man gave the foresight on so many songs, had people had that same foresight I wouldn't say Roc would still be around, but maybe Roc Nation would have Dame somewhere in there.

when rocafella started signing well known street dudes Jay seen the writing on the wall because he was already hot I’m sure the feds was watching at that time. Jay started seeing the record label hustling backwards. Pay attention to murder inc, when certain people come around you gotta move around because they to hot.

As far as Jay it was about self preservation. He aspirations for more and everyone around Rocafella did not fit his vision.

That stuff you said about black owned labels was some real shii fr 💯

Roc A Fella’s prime run was like 90s Bulls, 00s Lakers and nowadays Warriors wrapped in 1 I pray to God we all get a documentary one day.

You should do a episode on T.I. and the P.S.C. Pimp Squad Click. This was a great episode

This was one of your best analysis.

You should do Killer Mike next. One of the most underrated lyricists to come out of the south that didn’t get the solo success he deserved.

JC, bro some people might get mad. Tough pills are hard to swallow and getting mad won’t fix nothing. Fixing it fixes something. Great breakdown as always.

Bro you be SPITTIN!!! I must say I agree with everything you said. Specifically the dead weight because the artists were too busy having one foot in mainstream and one foot in the streets.

Dame wanted the limelight and wanted to be known. Also burning bridges by screaming and being disrespectful is no way to handle business.

Being born and raised in NYC and live through this in my elementary and high school years was epic...and then tragedy struck. Probably the best run ever. Better than even Death Row.

This is 1 of the deepest & realest Stunted Growth music u have done. Salute my G

I’ll never forget when Jay-Z got some award in Philly and Freeway had to stand WAY off to the side when the pictures were being taken because of his criminal past…couldn’t be in the picture with Jay…no, sir. LOL>

DAM❗️This was a 🔥🔥Episode!!!! Love Your Work 😎👍🏽👍🏽

Wow. Very Dope video. It was deep but you made alot of points. Keep up the good work and appreciate it.

Great Video I Grew Up In The Roc A Fella Era Always Wanted Someone Break Down The Reason Why The Label Broke Up

Hey JZ Stunted Growth love ❤ this channel always look forward to a new episodes when it drops. This is the best SG ever because you nailed this situation on the head, Jay-Z had the clarity to see where he could go/grow with his career as a Blackman,Rapper, and a Business man 👨‍💼 he showed by example and only a few others studied the blueprint and became successful as a boss that answer to no one but themselves. He can't bring the hood to the boardroom and still be successful and taken serious by these other white business man that own and operate some of the biggest brands and businesses in the 🌎. Us as Blackppl always want the free hookup like this at McDonald's wanting extra food, and shit don't work like that in real-life so he did what he had to do.

Been waiting on this bro we never truly got a concrete story as to why but I’m glad we get to hear it from your perspective as to why.

Damn!!! Accurate!!! I love it bro!! 🎯🎯🎯💯💯💯💯

Honestly I think you should do one on R. Kelly. I can't think of too many people with a greater fall from grace than him.

Rocafella died that was the end of his chapter and that's the guy you chose to name your company after. It was enivitable that the roc died.

Stunted growth..."don't be afraid to speak the truth" John 8:32! Continue to walk in your integrity! Most of the things you bring out is true! I remember these artists coming up. Your videos give "constructive criticism" on their Stunted growth 👏. We need that "ruff ryder" video or the artists from that group. Thanks

One of your best yet, thank you 💯💯

Can you do a ruff ryders? Or drag-on? Eve?

The fact that Jay-z and Kanye came from Roc a fella makes them the best rap label of all time

I’m glad somebody is honest enough to admit that Roc had a lot of one hit wonders and dead weight

GREAT video! You seem poised to do Stunted Growth on entrepreneurs/business in general. StuntedGrowthBusiness could be something in the future. Been rocking with you for a couple years, btw. Keep it going!

I hate to be messy but Damon started dating Aaliyah after Jay had been on a couple of dates with her ..and the fact Damon Dash basically cancelled Jay Z's Carter Faculty label side project but greenlighted his own Team Roc sports agency under the company umbrella was a issue...he did not want Jay Z to sign the Ranjaz or Geda K from Brooklyn but Dash brought in Cam and Dip Set from Harlem..where he is from...making Cam Vice President under him while Jay was vacationing with Beyonce...Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles who were running Def Jam at the time...had arguments with Dame and sometimes Dame was on point about protecting the brand because they wanted to basically have Jay Z as their artist ...and make more decisions regarding his career...they as well as Steve Stoute were trying to make side deals with Jay Z...notice Jay only played a same part when Dame started making movies like "Paper Soldiers" and "Paid in Full" compared to " Streets Are Watching" and "Backstage" where he was basically the main focus...Sauce Money and Lupe Fiasco both had chances to join the Roc but they saw cracks in the diamond before a lot of other people!

Great video as always! Can please do Mac from no limits record! His career was definitely robbed from him!

The Roc was so aspirational back in the day. I miss those times. Also, the homie Clout Cancun has a DOPE four part series on the Roc. Definitely check it out for an amazing deep dive!

Bro. Thank you for this excellent work of breaking down the rise and fall of the best hip hop group. I've watched you great basketball players break down, love your work. Continue success.

Your 3rd point is literally what Dame was talking back in the day why they hated him. He wanted to keep it in the culture not the culture vultures. Dame not perfect but his message you can’t say was bad

After 2005 owning a record label isn't lucrative no more due too declining cd sales. Then came in ringtone rap and the next gen of subpar rappers. On top of that all his artist time came and went except for Kayne West. Who got big on his own. It's not a reason to keep owning a record label so you cash out and go into other businesses.

Roc-A-Fella was the East Coast equivalent of Death Row Records & Dame's power trippin' (like Suge) led to dey demise.

Damn! This might be the best Stunted Growth episode because #3 is accurate AFFFFF.

Hey man, you think it’s possible to do one of D12 or of someone obscure like Redman?

The accuracy in Stunt #2 is amazing cause that's when Roc-A-Fella started to dip for me when they were randomly signing artists that really weren't going to blow on the record and the label already peaked. Jay-Z was opposite of Diddy with Bad Boy his artists could've been a big as Jay but "too much dead weight" is 🎯 cause alot of them didn't have to drive or the ethic to become a boss like Jay-Z wanted to and did. That was the beginning of the end.

Jay is a businessman. I believe Dame like me is a natural entrepreneur. Us entrepreneurs tend to always think about ownership and shit like that. We tend to also be much poorer than the businessman. The businessman like Jay...is very smart. He doesn't let himself get too attached to Any business. He builds that business up....and sell it a few years later...and does that to every business he's attached too. He takes a million dollar business and turns it into a multimillion dollar deals 3-5 years later...with multiple businesses. Rinse and repeat. While us entrepreneurs stay broke waiting for our business to creep up slowly but surely. SMH! So I'm trying to think more like a businessman and less like an entrepreneur. Of course keep my entrepreneur mind...but try to incorporate some business-minded tactics in some of my business dealings.

Can you do a video on t-pain he had so many hits of the 2000s

JayZ just knew he was going to be stuck in place if he continued to stay with the clown shit. Even these days the thing that's changed the most about dame is his level of success....

All of those stunts were accurate especially Stunt #2. I remember at a time they brought ODB (in which they had a chance to do something with but didn't), MOP and Nicole Wray. And I knew that all the bad fits and dead weight were going to be an issue down the road.

U should do one on Souls of Mischief

I agree with the video but no one has ever heard of Memphis bleek saying anything bad about Jay z. Neither has freeway .

Next story should be on Nelly (& A.I. for basketball)

Jay wanted to do his own thang anyway and once Liar I mean Lyor Cohen got in the mix it was a rap literally but everything happens for a reason is what I believe anyway!

Business is business. Never get emotional about anything. People will turn on someone quick.

I be trying to think about who you haven’t done. It’s crazy how you always find one. Have you done one on YoungBloodZ??

Dipset was producing

I knew it was over when the Dipset drama popped off

Rap-a-Lot didn't sell..and I don't see Top Dog or QC..selling....

This was a great RU-vid video but it reminds me of one thing how we let hip-hop slide between our fingers like sand we all should be eating off hip-hop but we are not

The real reason they broke up was because Dame, J Prince and others were trying to set up a black owned distribution label but Jay-z told the powers that be about it and they stopped the deal from going through.

Thank you for making this video. I’ve been able to see things from a different perspective and remain objective. Jay Z had a goal and vision in mind. No disrespect to Dame and the other parties involved, but their vision wasn’t the same. Success is a universal word but it is still subjective to the individual. After reading 50 cent’s book Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter. I see this differently. RIP Jam master J (he remained in the same area and was murdered by his own people). The same people he was loyal but they were no longer loyal to him because of his success. Sometimes you have to choose to eat and or be eaten. Jay Z chose to eat. 🤷🏿‍♀️

Nas buried them all with Ether.

Bleek could be one hit away his whole career. As long as I'm alive he's a millionaire, and even if I die he's in my will somewhere - Jay-Z. Jay never cut bleek off

Forgot to mention the homie Kanye. I know he had college dropout towards the end of the roc-a-fella run but he was the only standout mainstream wise like Jay.

We've witness a dynasty like no other and one of the greatest hip hop labels ever, cool video SGM, One

Dame was just out of control and doing too much. Hov was tired of that shit lol

Very interesting video.

Should do Slick Rick next

All facts!!!!!! . These cats really think that the streets love you, lol . Jay had the mindset a long time ago to get in, and get out. So to all you cats that think he was wrong, Get some grown up about yourselves!!!!! Period

Do a Stunted Growth for the legendary west coast, Movie actor, and pimp my ride host Xzibit. His must was a really good musician.

I wanna see STATE PROPERTY pleeeeessee!!!!

1. Jay’s ego 2. Dame’s ego 3. Lyor’s influence

Please do Duck Down and Bootcamp Click, Smiff and Wesson

I heard Jay was only supposed to be one album and done…i believe that the late success of reasonable doubt kinda fueled Jay to prove a point to the industry that got him caught up in the whirlwind of success and wanted to become the best rapper alive…i believe Dame was the alpha of the group and saw Jay as a tool to become the biggest executive of all time…. On one side of the coin they all played there position to the tee but they all couldn’t be there greatest self together so the split was inevitable 🤷🏾‍♂️…. Dope vid salute to the R.O.C we will never see another label like it 🫡‼️

Nah, their growth wasn’t stunted. What had happened was going to happen and should have happened. In life, you’re gonna have to evolve or remain stagnant.

You should do a video on the rapper dolla

One more thing: You could probably do an episode on Boosie & Webbie. In fact, I'm urging you to do that. So much of the same dynamics you describe are at play in their relationship. I remember the Vlad interview where Boosie respectfully said that he & Webbie are on "different grinds. "

I respect the 2nd stunt but let’s not forget, Jay was stealing songs & flows from the state prop guys so technically he did need them which is why he signed who he signed.

Can You Do Video On Hurricane Chris, Dru Hill , 3LW Or Lucy Pearl

I think you're right about something's and you're definitely wrong about somethings. However, regardless of my opinion this was still a good documentary if your observation of Roc-A-Fella Records

#3 you really did it with this right here “it’s all me not us”

Tell how Jay-Z took young Chris whole flow

Your absolutely right about everything you said especially, everyone wasn't built to go. Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Oscino and Sparks, Peedi Crack, and Sauce Money we're too street to change. Jay Saw that.

I really like this channel

You said the most successful Black owned record label in the beginning. You might not have heard of Motown 🤦🏽‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️ Those of us who grew up in this era of hip hop & was down with Jay Z & Roc-A-Fella's music know pretty much the whole story but there's always some new tidbit to this story! When people say Biggs was the 💰💰💰 man at the start it intrigues me because I know Jay had long paper when he hit the Block (Virginia & Maryland)after he came home from London with Jaz-O! 🤴🏽

Dames biggest flaw is not being able to read the temperature in the room. Where my late 30s early 40s people at. Roc a Fella split was 100% because damn not only sign cam but made him the president. Jay played it cool and never made a huge fuss about it. He even did a song with cam 😂 then cut Dame out of everything. 2 more for cam taking over the ROC. I never forget telling my homie at the time who was a big dipset fan that Jayz was going to get rid of Dame. I was a teenager at the time and I understood this. This had nothing to do with money and everything to do with Betrayal.

We need a Black Rob Stunt Growth.

Yeah well ppl grow & ppl change....✌🏽🙂❤

What you seem to miss is Dame Dash was never from the streets! He came from an upper middle class family and was actually enrolled into private education. He then during his college days began to involve himself in promoting local hip hop parties..that was his start into hip hop. So it’s ironic when someone like Jay was at least from the streets managed to mature and grow..whilst Dame continued to act a part that wasn’t really him..and continues to do so. He recently reminded everyone on some interview how he grew up selling drugs in the streets with Biggs lol!🤦🏽‍♂️

Is it safe to say the whole Philly crew that was brought into the Rocafella umbrella dropped the ball 🤔🤔. I agree at the end of Rocafella Dame was signing everybody. Some fit as other were head scratchers. In your room of growth everyone can’t go

What about the stunted growth of St Lunatics?

you should do one on paul wall

Rawkus Records next please

MAJOR/BIG/HUGE/ENORMOUS SALUTE to "Stunted Growth Music" 👏👏👏👏for saying in a posted video what I've been saying in the comment section of You Tube video's for years now. When you are signed to a record label like Sony/Columbia/Warner Brothers/Universal or any other label it's not the CEO/President of the label's job to monitor you & your life on a day to day basis whether you are on or off the label! The record label has a job & the artist has their job, yet when it comes to Black owned label's like Roc-A-Fella/Bad Boy etc... after the You Tube 1 sided hit job interviews these dudes do, people love to say shit like Jay did him wrong, Puff Screwed up "_________" life, Dr. Dre ain't shit on & on..... 🤦🏽‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️We as Black people are supposed to lift each other up but when you sign to a record label as long as the label is spending 💰💰💰 on your production/video's/marketing & promotion for your music that's ALL they owe you until you sell some music (CD's/now Streams etc.) & then they owe you whatever royalties you agreed upon in your contract!!!! All these You Tube video's with people who go kicked off the gravy train 7 - 25 year's ago saying I'm NOT jealous or mad but.....🤷🏽‍♂️ Nobody would even click on ANY of those video's if the name Jay Z/Dr. Dre/Puff Daddy (Diddy) etc..wasn't in the title's!!!🤴🏽